It’s easy to get caught up in the latest trends and strategies for digital marketing. But amidst the never-ending list of priorities, there’s one crucial element that should never be overlooked: accessibility. In this video, we explore the significance of accessibility in web design and digital media and how we can use accessibility to take care of our fellow humans.
Some of our favorite resources for web accessibility come from W3C and WCAG.
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Create ACCESSIBLE Content Transcript
Hello and welcome to the 1981 digital video blog. Today we’ll be talking about accessibility on the Web and why it’s important. *light upbeat electronic music plays*
Digital marketing tends to feel like a never ending list of things to keep up on. What are the newest design trends and how can we be more engaging for new visitors? And what are the current best SEO practices? The list goes on and on, and I know adding one more thing feels like it’s just enough to make the house of cards fall.
However, accessibility shouldn’t be the last thing you add, but the first thing you start with Accessibility in digital media is important for people with disabilities. It helps ensure that all users can access content on websites, apps and other digital media. In accessibility we often use the POUR standards as a qualifier for accessibility. POUR stands for Perceivable, for example, using text alternatives or any non text item on the page.
This ensures that content can be translated into other forms such as Braille, larger text, or simpler language. Understandable for visible label areas on forums so that people have the additional context for inputs. Robust posting documents in a format a screen reader can interpret, or even making sure your site runs an all web browsers as expected. So what about inclusive design?
And what even is inclusive design? Inclusive design means designing products and services that they work well for everyone, regardless of age, gender, race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, ability, or any other characteristic. Okay. But why does accessibility matter? A favorite quote of mine about accessibility comes from Tim Berners-Lee. And if you’re unfamiliar, he’s the guy who invented the World Wide Web.
He said “the power of web is in its universality access by everyone, regardless of disability, is an essential aspect.” And to me, I just think like, what an incredibly cool way to take care of our fellow humans than by crafting our sites and site content for all so that regardless of disability, everyone can use our sites. We learn on the web, we engage socially on the web.
We do most of our communication at this point on the web. We need to make sure we’re using these tools to allow everyone the same right. How can we create accessible websites? Well, let’s explore some best practices. One of the first steps towards creating accessible websites is understanding what accessibility means. This includes making sure that your website is available to everyone, regardless of any disability.
It also means ensuring that your site is easy to navigate and understand and basically just running your site through POUR standards with its functionality. An easy way to ensure a quality user experience is the utilization of internal links. Internal links can help users navigate through your website more efficiently and making it easier for people to find information they need.
They can also improve the accessibility of your website by providing alternative navigation options for users who may have difficulty using traditional menus or dropdowns. By incorporating internal links strategically throughout your website, you can create a more inclusive experience for all users, regardless of their abilities. Another best practice is properly using page hierarchy. Page hierarchy is important to establish correctly for people who use accessibility tools so that they can navigate your web page in a logical pattern.
Color contrast is another important element to be checking as you design and build to make sure someone with visual impairments wouldn’t struggle to read or understand on page content. As you navigate the ever changing landscape of digital marketing. Remember that accessibility shouldn’t be an afterthought. It should be the foundation that you build your online presence. And by embracing inclusive design and implementing best practices for accessibility, you can ensure that your website is welcoming and inclusive to all users.
This topic is really near and dear to our hearts for a variety of reasons, and it’s why we build sites that are accessible from day one. For more tips on creating accessible digital experiences, visit our website or contact us today.
Accessibility Wrap-Up
Ready to make your website more accessible? Start by evaluating your current design and content for accessibility gaps. Incorporate best practices such as optimizing text size and clarity, ensuring image descriptions, and providing alternative navigation options. Consider the power of internal links to enhance user experience.
We’ve written extensively about accessibility because of how important it is to us. you can find all of our content about accessibility here.
If you need guidance or assistance in making your website more accessible, reach out to our team of experts. Together, we can create an inclusive digital experience that leaves no one behind.
